Sanitary Scare

Reports of the death of a 14-year-old English girl have created quite a stir on Chinese social media sites recently. It is reported that she suffered from Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS), caused by the use of a tampon during her menstrual cycle.

According to the news reports, the tampon she used had high absorbency, which likely caused the vaginal walls to dry out and tear, allowing a bacteria known as Staphylococcus aureus to enter the bloodstream. The toxins released by the bacteria caused her to go into shock and resulted in her death.

However, various media outlets have mistranslated the news story, indicating that the TSS was caused by the girl's use of sanitary pads. Alarmed netizens have forwarded these articles, creating even more confusion. The vast majority of men are not familiar with women's sanitary products, and even women have started to panic at the thought that sanitary pads and tampons may be hazardous to their health.

Tampons and sanitary pads are among the most common personal hygiene products purchased and used by women. There are many advantages to using tampons; because they are inserted completely inside the body, they allow women to participate in vigorous sports and cause less irritation of the vulva. But their association with TSS has always made them a cause for concern.

According to Lü Ne'nan, a gynecologist at the Beijing Maternity Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University, TSS-related deaths are rather rare. As far as he knows, there have not been any deaths caused by using sanitary pads. He believes that TSS is closely related to the misuse of tampons and that women must observe certain precautions when using them; at the same time, there is no need to panic about the general use of sanitary pads.

"First, women have to be aware of how heavy their menstrual flow is. When choosing tampons, do pay attention to the absorbency. If the vagina gets too dry, infection results," said Lü. "Second, no matter whether you choose to use tampon or a pad, you should wash your hands first to avoid transferring bacteria to your vagina - and change it every two to four hours to prevent bacterial growth."

According to Lü, women should never use toilet paper as a substitute for sanitary pads. Doing so can lead to conditions such as urethritis and elytritis, because the hygienic and disinfection standard of toilet paper is much lower than sanitary products such as tampons and pads.

According to Tao Tao, a gynecologist at Peking Union Medical College Hospital, women should take care when buying and storing sanitary products. She told Metropolitan that women should choose reputable brands. Additionally, women should not stock up on so many sanitary products that they must be stored for a long time; nor should they ever use expired or pre-opened products.

Even the season can affect one's personal hygiene habits. Now that it is winter and Beijing's climate has turned dry and cold, there is a danger of skin drying out and becoming more susceptible to disease. Tao advises women not to wash their vulva with alkaline soaps or shower gels, nor should the washing be too frequent. Additionally, she said, laundered underwear should be dried in the sunshine, and the washing machine or laundry tub should always be cleaned before being used to wash underwear.